IMG Academy to Launch Softball in 2025, Further Enhancing Female Student-Athlete Offerings and Experience

BRADENTON, Fla. (August 21, 2024) - IMG Academy, the world's leading sports education brand, announced the launch of its newest sports program, softball, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to enhancing the female student-athlete experience on campus. Following the successful introduction of volleyball in 2023, softball is the latest investment from IMG Academy in female youth sports designed to open more doors for student-athletes worldwide.

IMG Academy will begin groundbreaking this week on new, state-of-the-art softball facilities, which will include four premier softball fields, batting cages, locker rooms and office space. IMG Academy plans to start softball competition elements in 2025 by offering developmental camps and hosting team events prior to the formal start of the program in the fall semester of 2025.

“Adding softball to our sport program offerings is one of the most significant milestones in IMG Academy’s history and is a testament to our investment in the female student-athlete experience,” said Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer of IMG Academy Campus. “We are doubling down on the female student-athlete experience and providing more accessibility and opportunity for female student-athletes everywhere."

To lead the new softball program, IMG Academy has appointed Joey Lye as its softball director. Lye brings a wealth of experience and track record of success to this role, currently serving as an assistant coach and mental performance and team culture lead for Softball Canada. She played for Softball Canada for 12 years and earned a bronze medal in the Olympics in 2021. Her impressive 14-year coaching career includes head coach positions at Bucknell University, Lebanon Valley College, and Stevenson University. Lye holds a Master’s Degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University Irvine and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Williams College, where she was a dual sport athlete and softball All-American who led all of Division III her senior season with a .563 batting average.

"I am incredibly honored to be named IMG Academy's first Softball Director," said Lye. "This opportunity allows me to bring my passion for the game and my commitment to developing well-rounded student-athletes to a place globally known for excellence in sports education. My experience with Softball Canada, coupled with my background in coaching, playing and personal development, will enable me to build and lead a program empowering softball student-athletes to win their future at every level.”

Softball will join seven other girls sports offered at IMG Academy including Basketball, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis, Track & Field and Volleyball. Softball has seen a rise in popularity over the last decade with the Sports and Fitness Industry Association reporting 2.1 million Americans play fast-pitch softball, with 70 percent of them being female, and of those, 69 percent are between the ages of 6 and 24. To help launch its softball program, IMG Academy will approach softball with proven development methodology from its 40 years of experience in youth sports and lean in on its online product, NCSA College Recruiting, who is the official recruiting partner of USA Softball.

The initiative has garnered support from renowned leaders and figures within the IMG Academy community:

Brian Nash, Vice President of Athletics at IMG Academy: not often that IMG Academy launches a new sport and today is a special day to be able to introduce softball as our newest program. The impact of softball has the potential to be monumental for us, our female student-athletes and the softball community, and we couldn’t be more proud to bring this to life beginning in 2025.”

Sue Enquist, Legendary former UCLA Bruins softball head coach: “Today is a great day for the sport of softball. IMG Academy has set the standard for holistic development in the sports education space and to add softball as a sports program means the sport will benefit greatly from their future impact. I look forward to seeing what these future student-athletes will bring to the game.”

Michele Smith, Two-time Olympic gold medalist and ESPN analyst: “The introduction of softball at IMG Academy is a game-changer for aspiring softball student-athletes and Joey Lye is the perfect fit to bring the sport to life in Bradenton. Being from the Tampa Bay area and understanding the positive reputation that IMG Academy has built in the community, I am confident Joey will create a powerhouse for future softball student-athletes to excel on and off the field unlike anywhere else.”

Michelle Wie West, Professional golfer and investor in IMG Academy through Patricof Co.: “IMG Academy’s investment in female sports was a huge reason why I wanted to be a part of what they’re building. IMG Academy is a driving force at an important time in the industry in terms of delivering an exceptional female student-athlete experience and providing them opportunities to win.”

Sloane Stephens, Professional tennis player and investor in IMG Academy through Patricof Co.: “As an investor in IMG Academy, the initiative to add softball as a sports program comes at a perfect time. There is so much momentum in female sports right now and IMG Academy’s investment into this space with multiple female sports launching in the last several years stands as leaders in this space and one I am proud to be a part of.”

Go here to learn more about IMG Academy’s softball camps and boarding school program.

About IMG Academy

IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, providing a holistic education model that empowers student-athletes to win their future, preparing them for college and for life. IMG Academy provides growth opportunities for all student-athletes through an innovative suite of on-campus and online experiences:

• Boarding school and camps, via a state-of-the-art campus in Bradenton, Fla.
• Online coaching via the IMG Academy+ brand, with a focus on personal development through the lens of sport and performance
• Online college recruiting, via the NCSA brand, providing content, tools, coaching and access to a network of 40,000 college coaches

To learn more about IMG Academy and its on-campus and online experiences, visit www.imgacademy.com.